Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-30

hands and pitched forward on his lace, Wltn
bullet between his shoulderblades.
Bessie heard the shout of GOOD shot, good
shoti" and the brutal laughter that greeted
bis tall, and the tramping OF the horses as
they came up the drive.
@Oh, unclein she said, "what shall we do"
The old man made no answer at the mo
ment, but going to a rack upon the wall,
reached down Westley- Richards falling
block rife that hung there Then he sat
down in wooden arm chair that faced the
French window opening on the veranda, and
beckoned to her to come TO him.
1--WE will meet them So he said They
shall see that we are not afraid of them.
Don't be frightened, dear, they will not dare
to harm US; they will be afraid of the consa-
quences of harming English people"
The words were scarcely out of his mouth
when the cavalcade began to appear in front
of the window, led, as Jantje had said, by
Frank Muller ON his black horse, accompanied
by Hans Coetzee on the fat pony and the vii
famous looking Hendrix mounted on monde
script sort of animal, and carrying gun and
an assegai in his hand Behind these were
body of about fifteen or sixteen armed men,
among whom Silas Croft recognized most of
his neighbors, by whose side he had lived for
years in peace and amity.
Opposite the house they stopped and began
looking about They could not see into the
room at once on account of the bright light
outside and the shadow within
Il fancy You will find the birds flown,
nephew" said the fat voice of Hans Coetzee.
They have got warning of your little visit"
"They cannot be far answered Muher. Il
have had them watched, and know that they
have not left the place. Get down, uncle,
and look in the house, and you too, Hendrix. p"
The Kafflr obeyed with alacrity, tumbling
out of his saddle with all the grace of sack
of Goals, but the Boer hesitated
"Uncle Silas is an angry man, he yentured;
l'he might shoot if he found me poking about
his house"
Don't answer mei' thundered Muller; "get
down and do as | bid your
"Ah, what a devil of rnanln murmured
the unfortunate Hans as he hurried to obey,
Meanwhile Hendrix the one eyed had
jumped upon the veranda and was peering
| through the windows
"Here they are, baas; here they arel" he
sang out; "the old cock and the pullet, tool"
and he gave kick to the window, which, be-
ing Unattached, swung wide open, revealing
the old man sitting there in his wooden arm
chair with Bessie standing at his side, his rifle
on his knees, and holding his fair haired niece
| by the hand. Frank Muller dismounted and
came on to the veranda, and behind him
crowded up dozen or more of his followers.
| What is it that you want, Frank Muller,
| that you come to my house with all these
armed mem" asked Sins Croft from his
chair.
II call upon you, Silas Croft, TO surrender to
take your trial as Land betrayer and a rebel
against the republic, was the answer Il am
sorry he added, with bow toward Bessie,
on whom his eyes had been fixed all the time,
ito be obliged to take You prisoner in the
presence of lady, but my duty gives me no
choice"
Il do not know what you mean" said the
| old man. Il am subject of Queen Victoria
and an Englishman How then, can rebel
against any republicl | am an Englishman,
say" he went on with rising anger, speaking
so high that his powerful voice rang until
every Boer there could hear it, "and &C
knowledge the authority of no repub-
lies. This is my house, and order you
to leave it, claim my rights as an English
man
| Here" interrupted Muller, coldly, aEng-
lishmen have no rights, except such as we
choose to allow them"
"Shoot himr' cried a voice
Treat him as Buskes treated Van der Lin
den at Potchefstrooml" cried another
Eyes, make him swallow the same pill that
we gave to Dr. Barber" put in third
"Silas Croft, are you going to surrender, y
asked Muller, in the same cold voice.
Nor thundered the old man in his English
pride Il surrender to no rebels in arms
against the queen will shoot the first man
who tries to lay finger on mel" and he rose
to his feet and lifted his rifle.
aShall ! shoot him, baas2-shall | shoot
him." asked the one eyed Hendrix, smacking
his lips at the thought, and tiddling with the
rusty lock of the old fowling piece be carried
Muller, by way of answer struck him
across the face with the back of his hand
Hans Coetzee, he said, Ego and arrest that
man."
Poor Hans hesitated, as well he might
| Nature had not endowed him with any great
amount of natural courage, and the sight OF
his old neighbors rifle barrel made him fee
positively sick He heSitated and began &c
stammer excuses.
| Are You going. uncle, or must denounce
you TO the general as sympathizer with
Englishmen| asked Muller, in malice, for he
knew the old fellows weaknesses and cow
ardice, and was playing on them
| II am going OF course | am going
nephew. Excuse me: a little faintness took
me-the heat of the SUM- he babbled ''Oh
| yes, | am going to seize the rebel Perhaps
one of those young men would not mind en-
gaging his attention on the other side He is
an angry mani know him of old-and al
angry man with gun, you know, deai
nephew
care YOU goingf said his terrible master
once more
"Oh, yes! certainly yes Dear Uncle Silas
pray put down that gun, it is so dangerous
Don't stand there looking like a wild OK, but
come up to the yoke. You are old, Uncle
| Silas, and don't want to have to hurt you
| Come now, come, COME and be held out hi:
| band toward him as though he were shy
horse that he was endeavoring to beguile.
| "Hans Coetzee, traitor and liar that YOU
are" said the old man, 'if you come a steI
nearer, by Cod will put bullet through
you"
| go on, Hans; chuck REIN over his head
get him by the tail; sfnock him down with {
yokeskei; turn the old bull on his back!
shouted the crowd of scoifers from the win
dow, taking very good care, however, to clea
off to the right and left in order to leave room
for the expected bullet.
Hans positively burst into tears, and Null
Ter, who was the only one who held hi
ground, caught him by the arm, and, put
ting out all his strength, swung him toward
Silas Croft
For reasons of his own he was anxious tina
the latter should shoot one of them. and b
chose Hans Coetzee, whom he disliked an,
despised, for the sacrifice.
Up went the rifle, and at that moment Bes
sic, who had been standing bewildered, mad
dash at it, knowing that bloodshed coult
only make matters worse As she did so i
exploded but not before she had shaken he
uncles arm, for instead of killing Hans, as i
undoubtedly would otherwise have done, tn
bullet only cut his ear and then passed on
through the open window place. In an in
slant the room was filled with smoke. Han
Coetzee clapped his hand to his head, ans
commenced to yell with pain and terror, AM
In the confusion that ensIIpd three or foU